Nick Foles trade NFL odds: Jets, Colts may prefer other options to Bears third-string quarterback
The Chicago Bears probably would attach a late-round draft pick to third-string quarterback Nick Foles just to be rid of his $6.6 million salary-cap hit this year ($10.6 million in 2022), and Foles is happy to be dealt and have a chance to play – which he won't in Chicago behind Andy Dalton and Justin Fields. However, it's looking more and more like quarterback-needy teams such as the Jets and Colts aren't interested in Foles right now. SportsLine offers odds on whether Foles is dealt by Week 1 of the regular season.
We all know Foles' ties with Colts coach Frank Reich, who was his and Carson Wentz's offensive coordinator in 2017 with the Eagles when they won a Super Bowl. Wentz will miss anywhere from 5-12 weeks following foot surgery, and reports are the Colts want to wait and see if it's closer to the five or 12 before making a decision on adding a veteran QB.
Second-year Jacob Eason is the starter for now, but Reich has been asked essentially every day since the Wentz injury about the possibility of trading for Foles. In addition, Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported last week that the Colts are expecting Wentz to be on the short end of that 5-12 week timetable.
"I don't mind talking about Nick Foles," Reich said. "I love Nick Foles. He plays for the Chicago Bears. I haven't talked to him, but I think he's a great player. I think he's proven that. I think he's a great teammate -- there's nothing about Nick Foles that I don't like. I think he's a winner. He's certainly a guy that fits our kind of culture, but he plays for the Chicago Bears. We're glad we got the guys we've got, and we're focusing on getting our team better, and I'm excited about that and the players that we have."
As for Foles, he called Reich "one of my favorite, if not my favorite, coaches of all time," that he knows "there's a lot of talk out there" and that he feels he's better than a third-string QB. To be clear, Foles has no say on where he might dealt, but would like some familiarity if so.
"I don't want to go to someone that I don't know," Foles said. "When you have a great coaching staff, you have something special. Big reason we were great in Philly was we had a great coaching staff. It put us in position to succeed. ... I don't want to just go somewhere where I don't know them, I don't know the offense. I've gone down that road before and it's not fun."
Last year's Colts starting QB, Philip Rivers, said recently that he hasn't ruled out unretiring but would only consider it late in the season, and that wouldn't help Indy in its current situation. We will mention that DraftKings has a prop on whom the Colts' Week 1 starter is with Eason the -150 favorite and Foles the +250 second-favorite.
Then there are the Jets. They didn't have a quarterback on their roster who had thrown an NFL pass between rookie No. 2 pick Zach Wilson, second-year James Morgan and Mike White. Well, the Jets do now after signing veteran journeyman Josh Johnson.
The 35-year-old hasn't taken a regular-season NFL snap since 2018 but has seen action in 33 games overall with eight starts (1-7 record). He's played in four leagues – the NFL, the United Football League, the AAF and the XFL – and been on an NFL roster now 17 different times. In what world is Johnson better insurance than Foles? The Jets have plenty of salary-cap space to take him on in a deal.
For now, it appears that Foles contract is simply one the Colts or Jets aren't interested in acquiring unless something changes – Marcus Mariota and Gardner Minshew are also possible trade options. Indy did acquire Jacoby Brissett from New England on the eve of the 2017 season because of the uncertain status of Andrew Luck, who would end up not playing that year off shoulder surgery.
Of course, QB injuries on other teams also could increase the demand for Foles.
Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Will Nick Foles be traded by Week 1?
- No -130
- Yes Even
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